Adjustable louver type ventilator



April 13, 1954 1.. L. SMITH 2,575,072

ADJUSTABLE LOUVER TYPE VENTILATOR Fild July 11, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1April 13, 1954 1.. SMITH 2,375,072

ADJUSTABLE LOUVER TYPE VENTILATQR Filed July 11 1950 3 Sheets$heet 2 1yam/1%! P 1954 L. L. SMITH 2,675,072 ADJUSTABLE LOUVER TYPE VENTILATORFiled July 11, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

The invention relates to adjustable louver type ventilator structures,and has particular adaptation tofit gables and the like having variousroof pitch angles.

One of the general objects of this invention is to provide a louver typeventilator structure adapted to placement at the gable of a building,and which is not only adjustable to fit various roof pitch angles, butwhich maintains relatively, uniform spacing between the louver slatswhen adjusted to various angles.

As another object, my invention has within its purview the provision ofan adjustable gable ventilator in which louver slats overlap one anotherinternally and externally of the general plane of the ventilatorstructure, so as to provide increased weather protection.

My invention has for another object the provision of a laterallyadjustable louver type ventilator structure embodying a series ofadjacent and separated louver slats, which slats include telescopicallyengaging parts constructed and arranged so that similar and opposed endparts are movable longitudinally relative to a stationary intermediatepart.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an adjustable louvertype ventilator structure incorporating angularly disposed and movableside rails having extensible louver slats adjoined thereto and to oneanother through connections providing for relative linear movementsbetween. the slats and between the side rails and slats as the siderails are moved angularly relative to one another.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable louver typeventilator having any one or more of the foregoing characteristics andso constructed and arranged that the parts are adapted to manufacturefrom formed sheet metal and to ease of assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the three sheets of drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view showing the adaptation of a preferredform of my adjustable louver type ventilator to the gable of a buildingwhich is depicted fragmentarily;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the louver structure shown in Fig.l, drawn to a somewhat larger scale and having a part of the structurebroken away to illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the louver structure shown in Fig.2, and which also has a part broken away to show details of theconstruction;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a portion of thestructure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, drawn to a larger scale than thosefigures and having parts broken away to show struc tural details, aswell as having different relative positions of the parts illustrated indotted lines to show the manner in which my ventilator is adjustable tofit various roof pitch angles;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view wherein the section is takensubstantially on a line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6, '7 and 9 are also fragmentary sectional views wherein thesections are taken substantially on lines -43, l'l and 9--9respectively, of Fig. 4, and in the directions indicated by accompanying arrows;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on a line8--8 of Fig. 6 and viewed in the direction indicated by arrows;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevational view similar to Fig. 4, butillustrating a modification of my adjustable louver type ventilator; and

Figs. ll, 12 and 13 are respectively sectional views taken substantiallyon lines H--i i, i2--l2 and l3l3 of Fig. 10, in the directions indicatedby arrows.

In order to have a reasonable range of adaptability, gable ventilatorsand the like must necessarily be adjustable angularly, in order to fitthe gable pitch angles of the roofs of various buildings and types ofbuildings. The various adjustable louver structures now known are eithernot angularly adjustable, or the louver slats are so hingedly connectedto the supporting side rails of the structure that their spacing varieswith the angular adjustment of the supporting side strips. That is, withthe louver slats hingedly connected to the angularly adjustablesupporting side strips, the slats move closer together and therebyreduce the ventilating spaces therebetween when the side strips arespread for a wide pitch angle, and move farther apart as the supportingside strips are brought closer together to fit a steep pitch angle. Inthe disclosed structure, I have not only provided a solution for theproblem of maintaining uniform spacing between the louver slats as thesupporting side strips are adjusted to fit various pitch angles, but Ihave also provided a louver structure which i adapted to quantityproduction and to provide improved weather protection.

Referring generally to the exemplary embodimoment my adjustable louvertype ventilator which are depicted for illustrative purposes in theaccompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows the adaptation of a preferred formof my ventilator ensemble IE to the gable portion of a building It,wherein the ventilator ensemble is mounted in practically flushrelationship to siding boards I! at the apex of a pitch roof i8, andwherein the ensemble is adjustable to fit snugly into the angle formedbetween gable trim strips it of the building.

Giving further general consideration to the structure of my preferredventilator ensemble, it includes formed sheet metal side rails 28 and 22having adjacent end portions and extending in angular relationshiprelative to one another. A louver plate 23 closes a small portion of thespace between the adjacent ends of the side rails and at the vertex ofthe angle formed between the side rails. Below the top louver plate 23,a series of extensible louver slats it extends laterally between theside rails with the slats in substantially parallel relationship to oneanother and spaced from one another at the mid-portions to provideventilating air passages A bottom extensible louver slat 25 extendsacross the bottom of the series of louver slats and provides asubstantially flat bottom flange portion for the ensemble.

Considering the disclosed structure in greater detail, as shown in Figs.1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, the side rails 28 and 22 are foldedalong their outer edges, whereby the side rail 20 has front and rearportions 23 and in opposed and face-to-face relationship, and the siderail 22 has front and rear portions and 32 in opposed and face-to-facerelationship. Along their inner edges, the side rails 28 and 22 are opento receive the end portions of the louver plate 23 and the louver slats24 between the front and rear portions thereof, as will be more fullydescribed. Along the inner margins of the rear portions 29 and 32, guidemeans in the form of longitudinally extending channels 33 and 3%respectively are integrally formed therein; the channels 33 and 34 beingof substantially rectangular section and opening inwardly toward theportions 23 and 36 respectively, as indicated in Figs. and 9. Also, asshown in Fig. 5, and after the parts of my ventilator are assembled, theopposite ends of the respective channels are preferably closed byintegrally formed tabs, such as 35, folded over the channel ends.

It being one of the purposes of this invention to provide a ventilatorstructure in which sub- I stantially uniform spacing is maintainedbetween the adjacent louver slats, regardless of the ad justment of theangular positions of the side rails and 22, each of the extensiblelouver slats 24 below the louver plate 23 includes a substantiallystationary louver part 35, and the bottom louver slat 26 includes astationary louver part 37. The top louver plate 23 and the stationarylouver parts 36 and 31 are secured in their properly spacedrelationships to a spacer rail 33 by fastening means such as rivets 39.The spacer rail 38, in the disclosed structure, is disposed in thegeneral plane of the side rails 20 and 22 and extends from the adjacentends of those side rails in a direction such that it divides the anglebetween the side rails along the mid-portion thereof.

Each of the louver slats 24, in addition to the stationary louver part36, has movable end parts 40 and 42 telescopically engaged with thestationary louver parts 35 in opposed relationship to one another andlongitudinally slidable relative to the stationary louver parts; whilethe bo tom louver slat 2i likewise has movable parts 43 A and M inopposed relationship at the opposite ends of the stationary louver part3'1, and telescopically engaged with the latter louver part forlongitudinal sliding movements. In my disclosed structure, thetelescopic engagement of the stationary and movable louver parts isaccomplished by having complementary sectional shapes for the engagedportions of the louver parts and by providing return bent flanges 45along the opposite longitudinal edges of the stationary louver partswhich overlie and slidably receive the opposite margins of the movablelouver parts at the opposite ends of the stationary parts.

In each instance, the outer ends or the movable louver parts aresubstantially flat and are shaped to fit between the front and rearportions of the side rails in overlapping relationship to one another.Also, the top louver plate has marginal portions which are overlapped bythe front and parts determine the minimum angle of adjustment of theside rails and also the range of movements thereof which can be attainedfor adjustment purposes. In the disclosed structure, the stationarylouver parts are successively longer from the stationary louver platedownwardly of the ensemble and those parts overlap the major portions ofthe movable louver parts when the louver ensemble is collapsed; theoverlapping portions of the louver slats varying in' length, because ofthe increased extension of the lower louver slats as the side rails aremoved angularly relative to one another. As herein depicted, the movablelouver parts extend inwardly from the side rails to substantial abutmentwith the opposite sides of the spacer rail 38 when the ensemble iscollapsed.

As depicted in Figs. 3, 4 and 9, each of the movable end parts of eachextensible louver slat has a stud 46 secured thereto and extending intoone of the side rail channels 33 or 34 to connect the respective endportions to the side rails. so that extension and contraction of therespective louver slats is effected by relative angular movements of theside rails. Also, since the louver slats are maintained in a fixedspacing relationship relative to one another, the studs 46 move linearlyalong to the respective channels 33 and 3 3 during relative angularmovements of the side rails, with the channels 33 and 34 acting asguides for such movements. Further to maintain proper alignment of theparts during their ad.- justing movements, the studs 46 extend throughslots ii in the overlapping portions of the adjacent movable parts ofthe louver slats. These slots extend longitudinally of the louver slatsand are of sufiicient length to permit the required relative movementbetween adjacent louver slats, as necessitated by the differences oftheir extensions as the side rails are moved angularly.

Extension or retraction of the louver slats may be effected by manualforce applied to the side rails in a manner to produce relative angularmovements thereof. The engagement of the studs 46 in their respectiveguide channels not only transfers therequired force to move the endparts relative to the-stationary louver parts, but changes of theangular dispositions of the guide channels result in movements of therespective studs along the channels to maintain the spacing betweenlouver slats which is established by the spacer rail and by theextension of the studs through slots of the adjacent slats. In the formof my invention which is depicted in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the siderails have an initial length which is sufiicient to accommodate theslats at their fully extended positions. If the ventilator ensemble isinstalled where the roof pitch does not require full extension of thelouver slats, the side rails may be cut off, if desired, afteradjustment of the ventilator to the required pitch angle. The solid linedisclosure of Fig. 4 shows the relative positions of parts when thelouver slats are collapsed; while the dotted lines indi cate therelative positions of the parts when the side rail is moved outwardly toa position indicated at 22c, at which position the louver slats areextended. In this figure, the various extensions of the series of louverslats which accompanying a predetermined angular movement of the siderail may be observed.

Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings also illustrate an embodiment of mypreferred ventilator structure in which the louver slats are constructedand arranged to give maximum weather protection without appreciablydiminishing the ventilation. To accomplish this result, the stationaryand movable louver parts, in addition to being complementarily shaped insection, each have longitudianally extending and substantially coplanarstrip portions 417, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, extending along themid-portions thereof. Along the opposite upper and lower edges of thestrip portions 61, oppositely curved louver portions 48 and 45 extendupwardly downwardly respectively and to opposite sides of the plane ofthe strip portions. When mounted, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, theupwardly extending louver portion at of one louver slat overlaps thedownwardly extending louver portion d9 of the adjacent louver slat andis in spaced relationship thereto to define the air passages 25. Whenmounted, the downwardly extending louver portions t9 face outwardly ofthe building, while the upwardly extending portions 43 are on theinterior to adord additional shielding against driving rain, snow or thelike. As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8, openings 5% are provided throughthe mid-portion of each of the stationary louver parts adjacent thestrip portions ll, through which openings, the spacer rail 38 extends.With this arrangement, the spacer rail is secured to the strip portionsat the middle of the stationary louver parts.

In the form of my invention which is depicted in Figs. 10 to 13inclusive, the general structure and arrangement of parts of theventilator ensemble, well as the general operation and adjustment, arequite similar to the form illustrated and. described. While doublelouvers which give the added weather protection were illustrated inFigs. 1 to 9 inclusive, and single louvers are shown in Figs. 10 to 13inclusive, it may be understood that the main features of difierencebetween the two forms of ventilators are adaptable to either single ordouble louvers. The description of the modification of my inventionwhich is 6 l illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 will be mainly :devoted tothe differences of that structure from the one previously described.

As one element of difference, side rails such as 52 of the ventilatorhave telescopically engaging upper and lower parts 53 and 54'. While, asshown in Fig. 13, the sectional shapes of the side rail parts aregenerally similar to those of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 9, thetelescoping engagement of the upper and lower side rail parts affordssliding movement between those parts, whereby the lengths of the siderail. may be adjusted to fit any adjustable extension of the louverslats. In addition to providing extensible side rails, the form of myinvention illustrated in Fig. 10 also has a pivotal connection providedbetween the top louver plate 38 and each of the side rails; therespective side rail portions 53 being pivotally connected to oppositeside portions of the top louver plate 23 by fastening means, such asrivets 55. It may be readily understood that the rivets 55 provide axesfor the angular adjustment of the side rails relative to one another.The portion of Fig. 10 which is shown in dotted lines at 52a indicatesoneof the side rails in an extended position which corresponds to anexpanded position of the extensible louver slats.

In the single louver construction depicted in Figs. 10 to 13, ascontrasted to the double louvers of Figs. 1 to 9, stationary louverparts 55 have coplanar marginal strip portions 5'! at the longitudinalmid-portions thereof which are secured to the spacer rail 38. In theirspaced relationship, the outwardly curved and downwardly extendinglouver portions of the louver slats overlap the adjacent louver slats tosome extent, and the bottom louver slat overlaps a substantially planebottom strip 58 which includes a stationary part 59. As in thepreviously described form, the louver slats include movable end parts 66which conform to and telescopically engage the opposite ends of thestationary louver parts. Along their outer margins, the stationarylouver parts have return bent flanges 62 which overlie the outer edgesof the movable louver parts. Also,

the strip portions of the stationary louver parts have return bentflanges 63 which overlie marginal portions of the movable louver parts.Along the opposite margins of the stationary bottom part 59, opposedreturn bent flanges 5d overlie the margins of the movable end parts 55of the bottom strip 53.

As shown in Fig. 10, the outer end portions of the movable end parts ofthe louver slats are substantially plane and overlap the end. parts ofan adjacent louver in the assembled relationship of the louver slats. Asin the previously described form, the adjacent and overlapping endportions of the movable slat parts are interconnected by studs :lfiwhich extend through longitudinally elongated slots ii in the adjacentlouver slat and thence into the guide channel 35 of the side rails.

From the foregoing description and reference to the accompanyingdrawings, it may be understood that I have provided a louver typeventilator of generally triangular shape which is suited to quantityproduction and which is adjustable to suit the roof pitches of variousbuildings within a considerable range. This structure is adapted to theuse of either single or double type louvers of an extensible telescopictype and in each instance, uniform spacing is maintained between thelouvers irrespective of the adjusted angle of the side rails. In onedisclosed form, the side rails are of suflicient length dimensions ofthe louver ensemble.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent'of the United States is:

1. An adjustable louver type ventilator comprising, in combination,angularly disposed side rails, each folded along its outer edge andhaving front and back portions in face-to-face relationship, one of saidportions of each side rail including a channel formed therein andextending longitudinally thereof, a spacer rail substantially in thegeneral plane of the side rails and extending between the side rails anddividing the angle formed thereby, a top louver plate secured to thespacer rail at the end thereof at which the side rails approach oneanother and filling the space between the adjacent ends of the siderails, and a series of extensible louvers in overlapping andsubstantially parallel relationship below said top louver plate, saidextensible louvers each having an intermediate part secured to thespacer rail and end parts extending from opposite ends of theintermediate part and slidable relative thereto, and said end partshaving end portions extending between the front and back portions of theside rails and connected to the side rails by stud means slidable insaid channels of the side rails.

2. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 1, andwherein said stud means on each of the end parts extends through alongitudinal slot on the adjacent end part.

3. An adjustable louver type ventilator as dufined in claim 1, andwherein each of said extensible louvers between the top louver plate andthe bottom extensible louver includes upwardly and downwardly extendinglouver portions on opposite sides of the longitudinal intermediate stripportion, and wherein said upwardly and downwardly extending louverportions on adjacent louvers are mounted in opposed and spacedrelationship on opposite sides of a common plane passing through saidstrip portions.

4. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 1, and.wherein said side rails are pivotally connected to opposite end portionsof the top louver plate and are swingable laterally relative thereon.

5. An adjustable louver type ventilator comprising, in combination, siderails having adjacent end portions and extending angularly therefrom,each of said side rails including guide means extending longitudinallythereof, a spacer rail substantially parallel to the general plane ofthe side rails and extending intermediate the side rails away from theadjacent ends thereof, a series of extensible louvers in substantiallyparallel relationship and extending laterally of the spacer rail betweenthe side rails, said extensible louvers each having an intermediate partsecured to the spacer rail and end parts tele- 8 scopically and slidablyengaging opposite ends of the intermediate part, and said end partsbeing connected to the side rails by stud means slidable in said guidemeans thereof.

6. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 5, andwherein each of said extensible louvers except the bottom-most one has asubstantially plane longitudinally extending central portion, from theopposite longitudinal edges of which curved louver portions extend inopposite angular directions and with opposite curvatures, and whereinsaid extensible louvers are mounted with oppositely projecting louverportions in opposed spaced and successively overlapping relationship toone another.

'7. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 6, andwherein said spacer rail extends through aligned openings in the louverportions of the intermediate louver parts and is secured to thesubstantially plane central portions thereof.

8. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 5, wherein atop louver plate closes the space between the adjacent ends of the siderails and the top one of the extensible louvers, and said side rails arepivotally connected to opposite lateral sides of the top louver plate.

9. An adjustable louver type ventilator comprising, in combination, siderails extending in angular relationship from adjacent end portions, eachof said side rails including guide means extending longitudinallythereof, a series of extensible louvers in substantially parallelrelationship and extending between the side rails and having ventilatingspaces therebetween, said louvers having end parts connected to the siderails by means slidable in the guide means longitudinally of the siderails, and means for maintaining the ventilating spaces between thelouvers when the side rails are moved angularly relative to one another.

10. An adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 9, andwherein opposite ends of the extensible louvers are connected to theadjacent louvers independently of the side rails by means tending tomaintain uniform spacing between the adjacent louvers and affordingrelative longitudinal movement between adjacent louvers as the siderails are moved angularly relative to one another.

11. An adjustable louver type ventilator comprising, in combination,side rails extending in angular relationship to one another fromadjacent end portions, a plate for closing the angular space between theadjacent ends of the side rails, the adjacent end portions of the siderails being pivotally connected to opposite ends of said plate forswinging movements in a common plane, and a plurality of extensiblelouvers extending between the side rails and having their opposite endsmovably connected to the side rails.

12. In an adjustable louver type ventilator, the combination comprisinga series of longitudinally extensible louver slats, each of said slatsincluding an intermediate guide part having a predetermined sectionalconfiguration and having folded guide flanges along the margins thereof,and end parts conforming to the sectional configuration of theintermediate guide parts and fitting between the guide flanges atopposite ends thereof, and a spacer member extending across theintermediate guide parts of the slats and having said slats securedthereto.

13. In an adjustable louver type ventilator, the' combination comprisingside rails angularly disposed and angularly movable relative to oneanother, louver slats of varying lengths extending between the siderails and having ventilating openings therebetween, said louver slatseach be ing longitudinally extensible, means for maintaining apredetermined spacing between adjacent slats, and means connecting theslats to the side rails for movements rotationally and linearly relativethereto.

14. In an adjustable louver type ventilator as defined in claim 13 andwherein said side rails embody telescoping parts which are extensibleand retractable relative to one another to adjust the length of the siderails to correspond to the positions of the slats longitudinally of theside rails.

15. An adjustable louver type ventilator, comprising a pair of framemembers associated with one another for relative movement and extendingin diverging relation to each other, a plurality of telescopic louversextending between the diverging frame members, means slidably connectingopposite ends of each of the telescopic louvers to the adjacent framemembers, and means for effecting control of the displacement betweenadjacent louvers to compensate for the normal tendency of that spacingto change with a variation in the divergence between the frame members.

16. An adjustable louver type ventilator com-- prising a pair of framemembers associated with one another for relative movement and extendingin diverging relation to each other, a plurality of telescopic louversextending between the diverging frame members, means slidably connectingopposite ends of each of the telescopic louvers to the correspondingframe members, and means for effecting control of the displacementlengthwise of the frame members between end portions of adjacent louversto counteract the normal tendency of such displacement to change 10 witha variation in divergence between the frame members.

1'7. An adjustable louver type ventilator comprising a pair of framemembers associated with one another for relative movement and extendingin diverging relation to each other, a plurality of spaced extensiblelouvers extending between the frame members, each of said frame membershaving longitudinally extending recess means, and means on opposite endsof each of the louvers slidably penetrating the recess means in theframe members whereby the extensible louvers facilitate adjustment ofthe frame members as to divergence with respect to each other andwhereby the recess means facilitate adjustment of the louvers as totheir displacement longitudinally of the frame members.

18. In an adjustable louver type ventilator, the combination comprisingside rails angularly disposed and angularly movable relative to oneanother, louver slats of varying lengths extending between the siderails and having ventilating openings therebetween, said louver slatseach being longitudinally extensible, means for adjusting longitudinallyof the frame members the displacement between the ends of adjacentlouvers in accordance with a variation in angular displacement betweenthe frame members, and means connecting the slats to the side rails formovements rotationally and linearly relative thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,380,980 Lane June '7, 1921 1,733,770 Andrake Oct. 29, 19292,195,704 Mantz Apr. 2, 1940 2,458,134 Belden Jan. 4, 1949 2,509,016Peterson May 23, 1950 2,587,509 Moyer Feb. 26, 1952

